Development of the Morphology and Crystalline State due to Hybridization of Reinforced Toughened Nylon Containing a Liquid-Crystalline Polymer

A hybrid composite consisting of rubber-toughened nylon-6,6, short glass fibers, and a thermotropic liquid-crystalline polymers (LCP) was investigated by the LCP content being varied. The thermal behavior, morphology, and crystallization behavior due to hybridization were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). DSC results indicated that the crystallinity of the glass-fiber-reinforced toughened nylon-6,6 was reduced by LCP addition, particularly 5–10 wt % LCP. DMA data showed that the miscibility between the blended components was maximum at the 5 wt % LCP composition, and the miscibility decreased with increasing LCP content. SEM photomicrographs revealed information consistent with the thermal behavior on miscibility. It was also observed that the 10 wt % LCP composition showed predominantly an amorphous character with FTIR and WAXS. WAXS results indicated that LCP hybridization increased the interplanar spacing of the hydrogen-bonded sheets of the nylon crystals rather than the spacing between the hydrogen-bonded chains. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 549–559, 2003